11
.
BOT BABIES
Nichole Haines
The train shook as it barreled beneath the city.
Dust fell
from the ceilings of the tunnels, as the occasional rat
plopped onto the top of the train, rolling off and down to
the tracks.
Claudie clutched her bag to her chest, biting
her lower lip as her stomach churned. She had ridden
this subway hundreds of times, yet she feared she would
never get over the motion-sickness it induced in her.
She
stood up as the train slowed. She lurched forwards as it
stopped, hiding her face from the people who stared at
her — this strange creature who couldn’t stand in the
subway without clutching the dirty metal bars with all of
her might.
Claudie coughed as she disembarked, holding her scarf
up to her nose to block out the stench of trash.
She held
her breath as she rushed towards the escalator. The
144
11
.
BOT BABIES
Nichole Haines
The train shook as it barreled beneath the city.
Dust fell
from the ceilings of the tunnels, as the occasional rat
plopped onto the top of the train, rolling off and down to
the tracks.
Claudie clutched her bag to her chest, biting
her lower lip as her stomach churned. She had ridden
this subway hundreds of times, yet she feared she would
never get over the motion-sickness it induced in her.
She
stood up as the train slowed. She lurched forwards as it
stopped, hiding her face from the people who stared at
her — this strange creature who couldn’t stand in the
subway without clutching the dirty metal bars with all of
her might.
Claudie coughed as she disembarked,